Graduation Rate Goes Up Again

Tift County Schools’ four-year graduation rate was just released by The Georgia Department of Education at 83.97 percent, improving from 83.2 percent last year and 74.4 percent the previous year.

“We were so pleased to see our graduation rate continue to improve,” said Tift County High School Principal Kim Seigler. “We believe this clearly shows our efforts are paying off.”

As a whole, Tift County has focused on being a data-driven system, tailoring education based on students’ performance.

“Looking at data results from assessments allows teachers to make more individualized plans for our students,” Chief Academic Office Mickey Weldon said. “Making learning more specific greatly benefits our students and their success. We believe this trend will continue as we progress through our first year as a Charter System.”

In addition to focusing on ongoing data results, the system attributes the improved rate to tutoring programs, extended learning times as well as BRIDGE (Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia’s Economy) days.

“We hold BRIDGE days in the early spring with students in the eighth through eleventh grades along with their parents,” Seigler said. “In these one-on-one meetings, we are able to plan a student’s schedule for the upcoming year to make sure he or she is staying on track to graduate. Working directly with our students and parents is crucial to making them successful.”

The state graduation rate increased from 78.8 percent to 79.2 percent (preliminary).

“Our Board of Education and our staff members are to be commended for their continued commitment to our students’ success,” said Patrick Atwater, Superintendent. “The efforts they all make through remediation, extended learning time and summer school are greatly benefitting our students. As studies continue to show, higher graduation rates are not only a positive for our school system, but for our community as a whole.”